The Windmill keeps South County running.

The satisfaction derived from our lunch represents a role-reversal: Normally we at the Weekly are honored to send readers to good locally-owned eateries well worth the visit; in this case, by virtue of its repeat coronation as the Best Restaurant in South County, the Weekly readers effectively sent me to The Windmill.

This also calls for a repudiation, of sorts: The Weekly’s own savvy Squid once waxed sarcastic about a Highway 101 billboard, “What is ‘happening in Soledad’?” Here’s what, apparently: The Windmill, and its epic menu, which rambles from the Pollo Ranchero Omelet ($7.95) to the Gilroy Steak ($13.95)—and seems to do it all well. Expect a blue-collar backdrop, sturdy portions with classic country and Mexican-American flavors, solid service, and reasonable prices.

There are in fact two Windmills. The original in Gonzales, the other in Soledad, next to the 101, connected to a motel and looking, on the outside, as plain as the nearby fields. Inside, the Soledad Windmill has all the hallmarks of an old-fashioned diner: the counter in front of a service walkway with a long window to the kitchen behind it, glass partitions, big booths and some tacky clutter.

The menu combines strapping American items like pigs in a blanket, club sandwiches and steaks with more modern southern and Mexican influences—think Machaca Omelet ($8.25), Cobb Wrap ($7.95) and Shrimp Avocado Salad ($8.75). Fortunately the potentially overwhelming menu was made more negotiable by sweet, young but unshy Yesenia and her easy suggestions. (Which reminded us that a little guidance is fundamental to being a good server. May all opinion-free servers abandon the worthless “Everything’s good” in lieu of a brief report on what’s popular, or the welcome “What are you in the mood for?”)  

Our corner booth covered all three meals (the entire menu is served all day), went in four different directions, and came out happy on all sides. June tried the Gonzales Citrus Salad ($8.35). The many components—romaine, avocado, walnuts, mandarin oranges, red apple, dried cranberries, raisins, green onions—worked with blue cheese crumbles and raspberry vinaigrette. Her complaint felt ironic—there were too many toppings, and not enough lettuce.

JC’s Chicken-Fried Steak and Eggs ($7.75) satisfied an appetite raised in rural Central California. The steak had a crispy light crust, but tenderly submitted to the fork and basked happily in smooth and mellow gravy. A decent pair of short and soft biscuits, over-medium eggs, and buttery hash browns (crisp on the outside) suggested the breakfasts here are a big reason South County swears by this place. The 31-item breakfast line-up includes the Grand Wrap Olé—scrambled eggs, hash browns, cheddar and jack, bacon, sour cream and salsa for $6.75.

Yesenia helped steer Rosie to “Dad’s favorite,” the Monterey Seafood Pasta special, with bay shrimp, tiny scallops, tomatoes, green onions, mushrooms, fresh garlic and alfredo sauce over penne (promised calamari was AWOL). Rosie felt the pasta carried the right texture and that the sauce was thankfully light. With four thick triangles of garlic bread and a standard dinner salad (or soup), the $12.95 price felt right. Rosie also added a glass of house red wine, a Rex Goliath Merlot, for $3.95.

“Dad,” I learned later, is co-owner Melissa Wood’s father. She and husband Jose are owner-operators, throwbacks who have done everything from cook to wait tables since they bought the Gonzales Windmill from their former boss in 2003.

Back at the booth I had spotted two candidates for the chicken sandwich litmus test I perform just about everywhere: The Big Sir (bacon, avocado, tomato, melted Swiss on sourdough, $8.50) and the Soledad Pesto Melt (bacon, tomato and Swiss on a French roll with in-house pesto sauce, $8.15). Yesenia sent me to Soledad and I wasn’t mad—the cheese and ample bacon had the chicken singin’ me a song and the fries were just fine.

It all left me with an inevitable, if kiss-uppy, conclusion: Weekly readers know what’s happening.  

THE WINDMILL RESTAURANT

1167 Sun St., Soledad • 6am-10pm daily. • 678-1775. • 346 Alta St., Gonzales • 7am-9pm daily. • 675-0118.